Raft race raised thousands

Published: Monday, 24 June 2013

SOME passed the finishing line alongside rafts, some passed going sideways and a police car towed by a raft full of 'criminals' ended up on its roof, writes Allan Richards.

It was the 37th Wellesbourne & Shakespeare Lions Club's Charity Raft Race on Sunday that raised thousands for this year's main beneficiary, Dogs for the Disabled, whilst giving both spectators and participants a good time.

Since 1976

The race which has taken place every year since 1976 starts at Wasperton and finishes seven and a half miles downstream at Stratford-on-Avon in Bancroft Gardens just opposite the Shakespeare Theatre (although competitors have to proceed another 100 metres to just past the chain ferry to get rafts out).

Allan's above picture shows the raft Dry as a Bone, that wasn't so dry as it started to sink as soon as it was launched! However, with some running repairs, the course was completed in six hours, an average speed of 1.25 mph. His daughter, who works for the charity, is seen centre front.

The race includes two weirs at Hampton Lucy and Alveston and takes in part of the river which is currently non navigable (i.e Higher Avon) as well as part of the Upper Avon.

Dogs for the Disabled

The main beneficiary of the event was Dogs for the Disabled, one of several 'assistance dog' charities (the best known being Guide Dogs). It bills itself as a life-transforming charity, creating exceptional partnerships between people living with disability and specially trained assistance dogs.

In recent years it has extended the scope of what could perhaps be considered as its traditional role of providing assistance dogs for wheelchair users and others with mobility problems. Now its activities, include such as providing assistance dogs for families with autistic children and those with early onset dementia.

All the best people....

The larger-than-life actor, Brian Blessed, who is Vice Patron of Dogs for the Disabled, had earlier threatened to 'roar on the teams from the banks of the Avon' and he did just that. Dressed in his trademark sports jacket worn over a Dogs for the Disabled tee shirt, his support was so vocal at times that the P.A. system became superfluous and the air horn that sounded when a raft crossed the finishing line could not be heard.

Having won over the crowd, he then gave an impromptu speech where he displayed great knowledge of the charity's work before moving on to his own love of animals and somehow ending up telling everybody they should climb Everest (he has made three attempts himself).

However, bearing in mind that anyone visiting the Canal & River Trust website can not fail to spot pictures of Brian Blessed saying 'All the best people volunteer for the waterways', it has to be said that waterways volunteers did not get a mention. Indeed, the waterways did not get a mention.

Still a great day out for all!